


Sally (The Dogs of Future Past Remix)

by listerinezero



Category: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Disabled Character, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Second Timeline, literal fluff, puppy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-06-29
Packaged: 2018-04-06 17:45:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4231008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/listerinezero/pseuds/listerinezero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles receives a puppy as a get well gift after a long hospital stay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sally (The Dogs of Future Past Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Unforgotten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unforgotten/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Sally](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1033933) by [Unforgotten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unforgotten/pseuds/Unforgotten). 
  * In response to a prompt by [Unforgotten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unforgotten/pseuds/Unforgotten) in the [remixmadness2015](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/remixmadness2015) collection. 



> A little remix for Unforgotten!

It wasn’t until they were halfway up the school’s driveway that Charles finally caught a glimpse of what the big surprise was. He turned to Erik in mock disapproval. “Oh, no. You didn’t.”

Erik kept his hands on the steering wheel and his eyes on the drive, but a dimple in his cheek betrayed the hidden smile. “Oh, yes. We did.”

It was definitive proof of how weak Charles still was after his bout with pneumonia that he hadn’t picked up on the secret until now. Typically, Charles had trouble blocking this kind of giddy excitement, especially coming from a group of mutant children, especially his students. But today they had driven all the way home from the hospital, and all Charles had picked up on was that Erik had a surprise at home. Beyond that, the details were clouded by exhaustion and antibiotics.

“A puppy, Erik? Really?”

They were both trying to be very adult and stern and disapproving of such a frivolous addition to their lives. It wasn’t working very well, since neither of them could suppress their smiles.

“It wasn’t my idea,” said Erik. “It was Mystique’s.”

And there was even further proof of how sick Charles had been: Raven had come home.

In the two years since Charles stopped using Hank’s serum and returned to life as a paraplegic telepath, he’d had his share of setbacks. The first few weeks had been especially difficult - remembering the routines his body required, rediscovering the challenges now inherent in some of life’s simplest tasks, and dealing with occasional bouts of excruciating pain, all at the same time as his telepathy was roaring back to life. The entire experience was so completely miserable and lonely that Charles nearly gave up.

It helped that Erik eventually came back and begged forgiveness a couple of weeks after his very public temper tantrum in Washington. They fought like wet cats that first night, and it made Charles feel like himself again. Some days, Charles remembered that night and thought that their profanity-ridden screaming match might have been the best thing that ever happened to him.

“Just pretend to be surprised,” Erik told him with a smirk as he parked the car in front of the school. “And pretend you like puppies.”

“I do like puppies!” said Charles. “Everyone likes puppies. I’m just not sure I actually want one.”

Erik popped the trunk and floated the wheelchair out with his powers, then got out and walked around to the other side to help Charles into it.

The wheelchair was actually one of the easiest things for Charles to get the hang of again post-serum, mainly because Charles knew how much Erik loved his arms when he was using the manual chair.

When Charles went to put his hands on the wheels this time, though, Erik stopped him.

“Don’t even think about it,” Erik said. “I’m pushing. You’re still recovering and I don’t want you to exhaust yourself.”

Erik could be quite the mother hen sometimes, though Charles had learned the hard way not to point it out to him.

The new Xavier Academy for the Gifted was officially in its second semester now. They had fifteen students, ranging in ages from five to eighteen, and four teachers. The official faculty roster was:

Charles Xavier - Head of School  
Hank McCoy - Science and Mathematics  
Moira MacTaggert - History and Civics  
Alex Summers - Physical Education and Self-Defense  
Erik Lehnsherr - English literature and elective French/Spanish foreign language

However, while Charles had been sick for the past month or so, he understood things had changed a little bit. Erik had taken on more responsibility and lead them through while Charles was indisposed, and in her worry over what she’d heard about Charles’ failing health, Raven had come to help. She brought her companion Irene with her, too. Erik told Charles that Raven had taken over the most junior of his English literature classes - namely, that meant she was reading storybooks to the little ones. Charles didn’t care what she was doing or who she’d brought with her - the thought of Raven at the school gave Charles renewed motivation. He never thought he’d see the day, and if he didn’t get better, he never would.

Now Charles could feel Raven on the other side of the door as he and Erik prepared to go into the school. He could feel everyone, of course: Ororo and Scott and Moira and even Irene, who he’d never met before. But more than anyone else, Charles could feel Raven.

“Are you ready?” Erik asked.

Charles nodded. “Ready.”

Erik opened the enormous front doors, and they were greeted with a huge cheer.

“WELCOME HOME!” they all shouted in unison. All the children, all the teenagers, all the teachers, everyone was crowded into the front room beneath a banner that screamed its welcome along with them.

Charles was overwhelmed. “Oh my! Thank you!”

The little ones couldn’t wait even a second before screaming, “Puppy! We got you a puppy!” Ororo, the youngest of all the students, was actually jumping up and down in delight.

Raven stepped forward, wearing a white dress over her blue form, and holding a wiggling ball of fluff in her arms. “I thought you might like a little something cute and furry to cheer you up and keep you company while you’re recovering.”

“I’m happier just to see you!” Charles told her.

Raven didn’t respond to that. Instead she passed the puppy into Charles’ arms. It was a soft little puff of brown and white fur with a wet little nose, wagging its entire body and licking eagerly at Charles’ face. The little girls all crowded around, cooing and begging to pet it, but the dog only had eyes for Charles.

“What’s its name?” Charles asked as he scratched under its chin and kissed its little nose.

“The shelter named her Sally,” said Raven, “but you can change it if you want.”

“I think Sally is an excellent name,” Charles said, then lifted her up and rubbed his nose against her belly. “Is that your name? Is your name Sally?”

“Oh, no,” Erik groaned. “He’s already baby talking to her.”

Raven chuckled. “Maybe this was a bad idea!”

“Oh, no, it was an excellent idea,” said Irene.

Charles looked up from the puppy in surprise. With all the excitement, he hadn’t even said hello to anyone else, let alone taken the time to be introduced to Irene.

Irene gave Charles a distant smile. “You are going to love that puppy, Charles. In time, Erik may love it even more than you do, though he won’t like to admit it. Don’t worry, Charles. You have many happy years ahead of you.”

Charles looked up at Erik and smiled. “Thank you, Irene. I hope you’re right.”

 

 


End file.
